


Splendor

by serenililly



Series: A Heart's Direction [3]
Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, Kissing, Originally Posted on Tumblr, POV Third Person, Prince Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Reader-Insert, Trippy, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 08:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18133124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenililly/pseuds/serenililly
Summary: After meeting a strange, singing girl in a blue dress, Hoseok knew his life would be forever changed.





	Splendor

The water was singing to him.

Lilting along, caressed by the warm, summer breeze, Hoseok could hear the sound, feel it deep in his chest as it rolled onto his lands. Stationed for tonight at the edge of the castle grounds, he felt the pull as soon as it reached his ears.

“Your Highness?” one of his guards called to him from ahead, tugging at the reigns of his horse to cease its trot. But Hoseok was already far away, eyes scanning the distance for the source of the dulcet music. Could they not hear it? Could they not feel the draw tugging at their soul and telling them they would only be complete once they found it?

“Your Highness, is everything alright?”

“Continue on patrol.” Hoseok clipped out the command to his men and turned his ebony mare towards the castle gates. “I’ll return shortly.”

It was definitely coming from the river, and once he was beyond the castle walls he spurred his horse forward, racing towards what sounded like destiny. The sound drew him towards the high stone bridge that connected the castle grounds to the city proper.

Hoseok slowed as he got closer, approaching the great, gray stone overpass with cautious wonder. He could hear more clearly now, a voice singing words he couldn’t understand, but somehow he knew they were meant for him.

At the center of the empty path he spotted you, perched sideways on the bridge’s edge and looking out over the water. The pale blue dress you wore shimmered like tiny diamonds in the moonlight, hanging down slightly and exposing your bare feet. And you were singing, pouring your heart out to the water. To him.

He jumped from his horse, not bothering to tie her up. Your voice was like a magnet and Hoseok had lost all other sense, but the sound of you that filled him from tip to toe.

Your singing quieted as he approached and you turned your gaze from the slow flowing river below to face him, a gentle smile spreading across your lips when he finally stood next to you.

“If you tried, you could probably count the ripples,” you said. Your eyes were wild and dancing with light, somehow reflecting each twinkle of the stars above.

“What?” he blinked in confusion when your words finally caught up to his thoughts. And then something seemed to lock into place. Somewhere in his chest a bright light filled an area he never knew was empty, flooding him with life and joy and fullness. “Who...who are you?” he asked, breathless.

You shook your head, a gentle dismissal of his question, turning your attention back to the water and Hoseok’s gaze followed yours out to the river.

“Your voice,” he asked, desperate to hear you speak again. “What were you singing?”

“Our song,” you said simply. “I've been waiting for you to come sing it with me.”

“Oh,” Hoseok said, still utterly confused. “B-but I don’t sing.” It was the strangest conversation he had ever had. And yet it made sense, everything about this moment felt right in a way he didn’t think he could ever grasp.

“You do,” you said, turning back towards him. You smiled again and swung your legs over the side of the bridge to face him. Hoseok’s heart stuttered. “And your voice is beautiful.”

Without warning you began singing again. The melody felt familiar, wrapping itself around him and drawing him closer to you. His fingers found yours and suddenly Hoseok felt like he was dreaming, the endless depths of the ocean swirling around you both, carrying him to nirvana. He felt the song rise in his chest, bubbling up from his throat with little effort on his part.

And he sang. Sang with you and your eyes grew wilder, beautiful pools of starlight and sunshine. He could feel the flush in his skin, the rush of heat and light and everything good flowing between you, swirling like wisps of moonlight beams and carrying your song along the water and farther along into the sky. The stars shone brighter, making the river twinkle and glow behind you, the very water swaying to your song.

Your voices grew quiet together and Hoseok knew he was crying, felt the cool tears slipping down his cheeks. Teardrops landed on the back of his hand as it held yours.

“When we are wed and you are king-” you started to speak again.

“I-I won’t be king,” he stuttered his interruption, his voice cracking as he spoke. He wasn’t even sure he was himself anymore. The normal questions wouldn’t come, didn’t even cross his mind. He had known you forever, been looking for you for an eternity.  Of course you would be wed. But…

“I can’t be king,” he said, hesitant to say the truth and disappoint you. “I’m fourth in line to the throne.”

“Yes,” you nodded, gaze holding his firm. “I know, but listen.” Hoseok couldn’t move his lips, even if he’d wanted.

“When you are king, you’re meant to die.” Your eyes never wavered, but he could feel the ripple of pain beneath your words. He never wanted you to feel pain, would do anything to-

“But you can have my life,” you whispered.

Hoseok shook his head, opening his mouth to respond, but you leaned forward instead taking up his lips with your own. Your tongue found his quickly and he lapped you up like a kitten to milk. You tasted like sugar, like tart lemon and the crispest sea foam. You tasted like happiness and heartbreak. And like home.

Slowly you leaned back, pulling away from his lips and he realized you were crying too. He reached up with his free hand, meaning to stroke the tears from your cheeks. But you leaned away more, kept leaning back. And he watched you, as your fingers slid from his hand and you fell back from the edge of the bridge into the glittering water below.

He hurled himself forward, bending over the side of the bridge and gaping at the ripples from your impact.

Something luminescent peeked through the water, pale blue and shimmering just beneath the surface.

“Wait!” he shouted, reacting too slowly at the fading movement. “I don’t even know your name!”

The ripples continued on, skating down the star-speckled surface of the water until he could no longer make them out in the distance where the river met the sea.

And only the breeze answered his words, the quiet sounds of the night humming all around him. And deep within, his song rang out in the silence. Your song.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song "This Love" by Angela Aki.  
> This story is also one of my personal favorites.


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